Tender Beef, Carrot, and Cabbage Porridge for Mid-Stage Weaning
[Mid-Stage Weaning] Making Delicious Beef, Carrot, and Cabbage Porridge
I believe that lovingly prepared homemade baby food is the greatest gift for our precious baby, and will greatly benefit them as they grow. I’m diligently making this recipe to offer the best nutrition! I prepare two types of meals daily: one with meat and one with vegetables only, to last for three days. This means I make about 6 bowls at once. I know it might be a lot, but I’ve prepared each serving to be around 100ml. Shall we begin?
Ingredients- Rice: 30g
- Beef (ground or for baby food): 30g
- Carrot: 10g
- Cabbage (tender inner leaves): 10g
- Water: 420ml
- Onion: 5g (for broth)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash 30g of rice thoroughly. Soak the washed rice in cold water for about 1 hour. This will help it blend smoothly later.
Step 2
Peel and thoroughly wash the carrot, preparing 10g. Finely mince the carrot into pieces smaller than 3mm, making it easy for your baby to chew. (If your baby enjoys textured food, aim for about 3mm pieces. If they are still getting used to chewing, mince it even finer.)
Step 3
For the cabbage, select the tender inner leaves, discarding the tough outer ones and the hard core. Prepare 10g of these tender parts and wash them well. Blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute, then remove. Finely mince the blanched cabbage into pieces smaller than 3mm, similar to the carrots.
Step 4
Prepare 30g of beef and soak it in cold water for about 1 hour to remove any excess blood. Thoroughly draining the blood helps eliminate any gamey smell from the meat.
Step 5
If you are using whole beef cuts instead of pre-ground baby food beef, after draining the blood, slice the beef very thinly. This method will allow more flavor and nutrients to be extracted into the broth.
Step 6
In a pot, add 420ml of water. Add the blood-drained beef and the piece of onion (about 5g) for the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 7
Once the water comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Then, turn off the heat. Discard the onion, as it was only used for making the broth. Leave the beef in the pot to infuse its flavor.
Step 8
If you think your baby might have trouble chewing or swallowing the beef pieces, carefully remove the beef from the broth and mince it even finer. It’s especially important to mince the thinly sliced beef thoroughly so it’s easy for your baby to eat.
Step 9
In a blender, add the soaked rice. Pour in about half a ladleful of the beef broth you made earlier. This will help the rice blend into a smooth consistency.
Step 10
To blend, pulse the blender for 2 seconds, pause, then pulse again for 2 seconds, and pause. Repeat this 3 times. This method ensures the rice is blended without becoming mushy, creating a pleasant texture.
Step 11
Babies who have only eaten rice cereal may find the texture of whole rice grains in mid-stage porridge a bit challenging. Adjust the blending time based on your baby’s ability to chew and their preference. (Blending it to a consistency similar to frozen shaved milk, as shown in the photo, works well.)
Step 12
Now, return the beef broth to the pot. Add the blended rice, the finely minced beef, and the minced carrots. Stir continuously over high heat as it starts to boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low, add the minced cabbage, and stir well.
Step 13
Continue stirring over low heat and check the porridge’s consistency. Ladle some porridge onto your spoon and let it flow off. Adjust the consistency as needed; it’s ready to be removed from the heat when it flows slightly thinner than store-bought porridge.
Step 14
Aim for a consistency that is slightly thinner than regular porridge but a bit thicker than early-stage baby food. Find the perfect texture that your baby will enjoy.
Step 15
Voila! Your delicious mid-stage weaning ‘Beef, Carrot, and Cabbage Porridge’ is ready! This amount yields approximately 3 bowls, each around 100-110ml. Present your baby with a healthy and tasty meal!